A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section.
The fan section includes multiple airfoils disposed circumferentially about an engine longitudinal centerline axis. At certain aircraft operating conditions, these airfoils may experience self-induced oscillations, such as flutter. These self-induced oscillations may become severe enough to fracture the airfoil. One means of preventing such a fracture is to increase the chord width of the fan blades. However, this approach increases the overall weight of the engine and the rotating mass. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop an improved gas turbine engine design that will reduce flutter of the airfoils and decrease the weight of the engine.